The cookies of the Valier
by Alannada
Summary: In the Halls of Eru young Valar are playing a game. Who will be the winner? Who will have Varda's prize and who will end with empty hands? Which among the Valier can bake? Nienna cries, Aulë makes a new device, Melkor's hasty, Manwe's generous and Varda realizes she needs to change her oven.


The cookies of the Valier

Summary:  
In the Halls of Eru young Valar are playing a game. Who will be the winner? Who will have Varda's prize and who will end with empty hands? Which among the Valier can bake? Nienna cries, Aulë makes a new device, Melkor's hasty, Manwe's generous and Varda realizes she needs to change her oven.

A/N:  
A gift for the New Year (2015) for followers of vardathestarkindler This work was originally posted on AO3 (2014-12-31) and was slightly refreshed and edited upon reposting here.

o0o

There was a big chamber, lit by golden orbs in four corners of it. There was a long table in the center of the room, long enough to let the seven girls arrange their things to their liking. The seven girls brought what they did today to see if the boys - currently waiting outside - could guess which one made which work. It was but a game, but the girls did their best. They brought their works in bowls and boxes and put them on the table, some distance between all of them.

Yavanna looked around to make sure that everyone was ready. Varda gave her a bright smile as she moved away from the big box she put on the table just a second earlier. It was made of metal and seemed to warm the air around it.

"Ready," she answered the unspoken question in Yavanna's eyes and walked away from the table as the last one to come to Yavanna's side and sit on the last chair which was left for her. The previous evening they had a debate about what they should create and they all agreed it should be something connected to cookies. It was Estë's idea and it was the Healer who went to open the door for the boys.

"You may come in." she said with her soft voice. Eight boys walked in and looked at the girls and the table. Estë clapped her hands to make them focus at her. "You can choose one thing and if you name the creator properly the thing will be yours," she reminded them.

Then she walked away to sit beside Nienna who was looking at one of the bowls with a small smile on her lips and tears of joy glistering in her eyes.

Varda was observing the boys walk around the table. Aulë sat in a corner and was creating some device, Tulkas was peeking into each bowl and box again and again... Namo was the first who picked up an item for himself.

He walked to the seven girls, holding a box in his hands.

"It is made by Vairë," he stated with calm, deep voice and took off the box a bookmark made of soft fabric. Vairë blushed as she saw cookies embroidered on it. "Behold the work of the Weaver! I shall keep it and when your cookies will perish and be no more this bookmark will be still adorning my books and helping me in my studies," Namo said to his brothers. Vairë ran to him to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Namo, you're so cute! Do you really like it?" she asked the other Ainu and as he nodded she smiled widely.

When Ulmo was presenting a bowl of salty cookies Nienna made (the creator of this treat was sobbing happy because she was the second who's work was recognized) Manwë picked up the biggest box. Aulë, who was inspecting the box next to him with his device turned the device in direction of the box in Manwe's hands. It started to glow red and make a silent noise.

"If I were you I'd not take it, Manwë. The radia-"

"I want this one!" Melkor took the box from Manwë's hands and ran in Varda's direction. "It is yours, right? Right? I guessed correctly so now it is mine!"

"Well..." she started. She was looking at the glowing device and Aule telling Manwe about the unhealthy radiation of the box. "...yes... I made those cookies..."

"Great! Now I will devour them all!" Melkor paced a bit away to fight with the lid of the box. It seemed to be soldered.

Meanwhile Tulkas took the box which Aulë was inspecting earlier, before starting to explain what the radiation is (and why it is unhealthy for a fana) and brought it before Yavanna. The Valië was grinning at him.

"It is yours," he said. "Those cookies have pieces of fruits inside."

"That's true," Yavanna nodded, "I put black berries and apples into my creations."

Oromë brought to Nessa round cookies with nuts inside.

"Sister, next time you should take off nutshells," he complained after trying one. Tulkas took one of his cookies and ate it, chewing with thoughtful expression on his face.

"Silly Oromë, everyone knows that the shell is rich in vitamins. You cannot take skins and shells from fruits only because you dislike the taste of them," he stated. Oromë gave the cookie in his hand an another chance.

When Aulë saw that his box was already in Tulkas' embrace he took another one he had inspected earlier and almost ran to Estë, because Irmo was following him.

"It is yours, right? Only natural ingrediences, right?" Aulë asked the silent Valië. She chuckled as she saw the look on Irmo's face above Aulë's shoulder.

"Yes. And no sugar, just honey," she nodded. Irmo groaned, turned around and saw that Manwë picked up the last bowl on the table.

"Mine!" he cried, running in direction of the windy Ainu, but Manwë just chuckled and fleed before his hands like mist. He hurried to Vana and showed her the bowl of cookies. At the same time when Irmo cried "Mine!" Melkor defeated the stubborn lid of his box and laid his eyes on the creation of Varda with the same cry on his lips. Then he fell oddly silent.

"Those are yours, you made flowers form chocolate on them," Manwë said to Vana and the Valië nodded. The brother of Melkor looked around and saw Irmo standing beside the table, with empty hands. He walked in his direction and offered him his bowl. "Here, have some. Everyone will give you some of their cookies, so you will have a chance..." he started as Irmo took one cookie from him. He fell silent because Melkor appeared beside them with his box. He almost pushed it into Irmo's arms.

"Have those! Take them!" he said hastily. Irmo blinked and accepted the box.

"Eh, thanks, Mel-" Irmo looked down and saw a pile of star-shaped cookies decorated with cinnamon. Or rather what remained from them after baking in a heart of a star. "Oh, Allfather..."

Varda realized that next time she should choose less extraordinary oven. Estë clapped her hands again.

"Manwë is right, now we all should share and have a chance to taste all kinds of cookies."

"Okay!" Irmo grinned widely offering Varda's cookies to Namo who was sitting with Vairë on his lap and admiring the bookmark the whole time. "Have some, Namo!"


End file.
